What are NCG Designated Centres?

On 28 March 2007 the National Specialised Commissioning Advisory Group (NSCAG) announced that the Department of Health had received Ministerial approval for the extension of the designation of the Lysosomal Storage Diseases services in England for a further four years from April 2008 to March 2012.

This announcement means that every Gaucher patient in England will continue to receive their clinical care at an NCG designated centre. The designation also continues the cover for the cost of providing treatment and access to homecare services nationally.

NSCAG already has an arrangement whereby Scottish patients can be seen in the designated English centres for diagnosis and management. The decisions on funding treatment however remain with the patient’s Local Health Board which is arranged through the National Services Division in Edinburgh. Welsh and Northern Irish patients can also be seen in designated English centres for diagnosis and management, although the cost of this access and treatment are funded through the Health Commission Wales and the Northern Ireland Health and Social Security Boards respectively.